


Provoking the Demons

by SonjaJade



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Angst, Cuckolding, Demon Sex, Multi, Partner Swapping, Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-19
Updated: 2014-08-25
Packaged: 2018-01-16 07:34:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 21,574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1337245
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SonjaJade/pseuds/SonjaJade
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It’s been nearly a year since Rin left to become her Lord’s mate, but her shoulder remains unmarked.  InuYasha decides to get to the bottom of the situation, only to find he doesn’t know how to help.  A dream gives him an idea- now if only he can convince Sesshomaru to try it, Miroku to execute it, and Sango not to execute anyone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. On the Mark

**Author's Note:**

> I had written this a while back when I was still writing IY fan fics all the time. I didn’t like the direction it was going and scraped the whole thing- only to find out my good friend LOVED it. Now that I’ve gotten better at writing in general (and as a late birthday gift to her) I am rewriting it. Much love to you Ebony, I hope it’s everything you wanted and more.

InuYasha knew from the moment their guests landed that something was wrong. The smile on Rin’s face was deceiving, but there was no mistaking the scent signatures coming from his brother- shame, embarrassment, anxiousness. He didn’t ask and Sesshomaru made no effort to explain himself.

Their visit was short, but in that time, Kagome had managed to figure out part of the problem. Though Sesshomaru had taken Rin months ago from the village as his mate, her shoulder was unmarked…

“I didn’t get a chance to ask her about it,” Kagome said quietly as she nursed their only child, a son with human ears and big brown eyes. “She seemed on edge while we were alone though, like she had a thousand things she wanted to say.”

The hanyou’s eyes drifted to the edge of his mate’s yukata, where the mark he’d bitten into her shoulder was partially visible. In order for a mate mark to be placed, whomever was placing the mark had to be in full orgasm, with the demon inside- the heart of the yokai- in charge of the physical body. Sesshomaru had been ‘mated’ for quite some time to Rin, nearly a year, yet there was no mark to say that she was his alone and shared his soul and his heart. InuYasha wanted to ask his half brother why that mark was absent, and for Rin’s sake, help figure out a way to get it there.

He sighed as he stoked the fire. “He ain’t gonna like it, but me and him need to talk.”

Kagome nodded as she rocked back and forth, lulling the boy in her arms to sleep. “Yes, I think you do.”

After she laid his son down in his cradle and after he’d made love to her, he lay awake for a while, trying to figure out how to approach the subject with his often volatile elder brother. He thought back to when he and Kagome were fighting alongside each other, before Naraku was defeated and before she was gone those long three years. Their relationship had been close back then, no doubt. He’d loved her dearly, though he’d never admitted it. But the love that he felt so strongly in those days paled in comparison to their mated and marked love.

The scar of his jaws on her shoulder was more than that. It was the yokai way to bring a bit of his bride into his veins, to inject a bit of himself into hers, to bind each other on a spiritual level that surpassed the bonds of their mortality. InuYasha couldn’t imagine going back to the way he loved her before. And he knew Sesshomaru deeply cared for Rin and wanted that kind of bond with her as well. And that only stirred the question in his mind again- why hadn’t he marked her?

He rolled to his side and decided he’d have to go find out and see if he could do anything about it. It didn’t help his roiling curiosity or concern (for Rin’s happiness. His brother was a miserable being who often contributed to his own misery), but the fact he’d settled on a resolution to find some answers made it easier for him to find sleep.

In the morning, he kissed his wife and son goodbye and took off for his brother’s small fortress in the high mountains to the north. It took him all day to get there, and when he showed up near sunset, Rin flung the doors open and invited him in to eat and rest.

InuYasha was never one for subtlety. As soon as Sesshomaru appeared in the doorway, he blurted out, “Why ain’t ya marked Rin yet?”

Rin’s face reddened immediately and Sesshomaru’s golden eyes narrowed.

“That is none of your business,” he snarled.

“Rin’s my sister-in-law and my friend, that makes it my business,” he growled back.

“Please don’t fight!” Rin begged. “Please, InuYasha-sama, Rin is alright!”

“No, ya ain’t!” he snapped. “This ain’t bein’ mated, Rin! This is playin’ house with a coward in the mountains!”

Sesshomaru bared his claws, beginning to glow green with the Dokkasou attack. “You dare to insult this Sesshomaru in his own home?”

InuYasha prepared to defend himself with the Sankon Tessou, shouting, “No, I dare to call my stupid half-wit half-brother out on whatever’s keepin’ him from claiming his mate properly so he and Rin can be as happy as Kagome and me are!”

Poison began to drip from Sesshomaru’s claws, eating holes into the tatami mats on the floor. “If you want to live long enough to see that precious woman of yours, you’d better be leaving now!”

“Not ‘til ya tell me why ya didn’t mark Rin yet!”

“Stop it!” Rin screamed. The two of them looked over at Rin, who was standing and crying. “Just stop it!”

Sesshomaru’s hand dropped and returned to normal, and he quickly stepped to her side. InuYasha watched as his brother became a tender person (well, as tender as Sesshomaru was able to become, he supposed) and held Rin to his chest as she cried.

“You’ve upset her,” he rumbled, not looking InuYasha. “Get out.”

“No,” Rin said sniffled. “InuYasha is concerned for Rin, for _both of us_. Maybe he knows how to-”

“This Sesshomaru has absolutely no intention of telling him anything.”

Rin pulled away from him. “Then I’ll tell him!”

Sesshomaru and InuYasha’s eyes widened at the sudden lapse in her speech. The whole time InuYasha had known her, she’d spoken with the same imperial speech pattern as Sesshomaru, always referring to herself in third person, rarely using contractions… The hanyou couldn’t remember ever hearing her say “I” before. He wondered if it was Sesshomaru’s first time hearing her say that as well.

“Rin, wait,” Sesshomaru said quietly. She turned to look at him. “Will it ease your heart if this one… if this Sesshomaru seeks advice from InuYasha?”

She sighed with relief. “Yes, my lord. It would ease Rin’s soul greatly.”

He touched her cheek with his claws gently. Quietly, almost in a whisper, he murmured, “Go and rest. This one will say what must be said.”

Her hand covered his and she spoke sternly. “InuYasha-sama is only trying to help. He is being kind- Rin expects Sesshomaru-sama to be kind as well.”

Sesshomaru closed his eyes and offered her a barely audible sigh of disgust. “This one will show restraint- for Rin’s sake.”

The room seemed to lose the violent charge it had moments ago. InuYasha watched as she bowed to both of them and left the room quietly. The he watched as Sesshomaru turned with a jerk toward the courtyard door. “Come. Let us converse outside in the cool night air.”

InuYasha figured some fresh air might do them both some good. He rose and followed him to the garden behind the house. It was mostly rocks and hearty evergreens in the garden, as it was much too cold for flowers this far north and this high up. But it was lovely and tranquil and just what the two of them needed to settle themselves in order to work through whatever issues Sesshomaru had with marking Rin.

Sesshomaru looked up at the night sky, then took a deep breath. InuYasha thought he might not say anything at all, until at last he broke the silence. His brother sat down elegantly on the smooth wood planking of the engawa surrounding the house. “InuYasha… This one is failing her.”

He flopped down beside him, ignoring Sesshomaru’s expression of distaste for his lack of etiquette when seating himself. “Ya practically live and die by whatever comes out of her mouth. How are ya failin’ her?”

Sesshomaru looked blankly out at the garden. “This Sesshomaru has never lain with Rin. He is afraid of everything that comes with that responsibility… and the fear overpowers the beast within.”

Sesshomaru- mighty Lord of the West and all its territories, purebred son of the feared Inu no Taisho, Touga- was afraid to make love to his human mate? Afraid to mark and pup her? “I don’t understand, why are ya afraid?” The demon never met his eyes. InuYasha thought maybe he felt better at admitting his faults if he didn’t have to look someone in the face while admitting them. He could understand that.

“This one has seen Rin raised from the dead twice. If something were to happen to her again… she cannot be saved a third time.” He reached into his sleeve and pulled out a small, dark green jewel. “This is a shard of the Meidou-seki. It is from this one’s mother, who saved Rin the second time. Once she is marked, this one can place it into her body and her life will be as long as this Sesshomaru's own. She will be impervious to illness and pain- she will be more than just a human girl.”

InuYasha gave him a little grin. “Then it looks like there’s nothin’ to worry about! Just mark her already and she’ll be fine once ya put that shard in her!”

“But if this one marks her, she will be bound to this Sesshomaru for the rest of her long life. What if after a while she grows weary of this one? She will be bound to someone she no longer loves and unable to find happiness with another.”

InuYasha shook his head. “Sesshomaru, the mark ya put there _deepens_ the affection ya have for each other. The love ya have will intensify, ya won’t have to worry about her gettin’ tired of ya. Besides, I don’t think she’s ever looked at another person the way she looks at you.” He grinned up at the sky. “Ever since she was a kid, you’ve been the only thing she’s ever wanted. And now she has ya, but she doesn’t _have you_. See, the mark on Kagome’s shoulder- Rin’s always said how she couldn’t wait to have one of her own. That in itself lets me know she’s never wanted to be anything but your mate. But because ya haven’t marked her, she’s probably feelin’ pretty confused and upset.”

Sesshomaru didn’t respond, only nodded. They listened to the wind howling for a moment, watching the trees bend and sway in the currents. Then he asked softly, “Have ya ever been with a woman before?”

“This one knows what to do, don’t be absurd.”

“But do ya know about _human_ women?”

“This one does not repeat himself.”

InuYasha looked away. “If you’re worried about the first time, just use your tongue a lot.” His brother’s breath stilled and he continued, “Lick her everywhere, even if it makes her laugh. When you find a place that makes her moan, stay there.”

Sesshomaru adjusted his posture and said, “This one is much bigger than Rin physically. There are times when this Sesshomaru wonders if he could even attempt to mate her without tearing her apart.”

“Trust me, the licking helps. It’ll make her slick, and the slicker the better.”

Abruptly, he stood up and paced the length of the porch. “This Sesshomaru can kill without blinking, can destroy entire castles without a drop of sweat on his brow, and can command legions to do his bidding yet-” he stopped. His shoulders slumped. “Yet I cannot take the only person I have ever loved to my bed and properly love her, because I am afraid of killing her before I can mark her and get this shard into her body.” He turned to InuYasha. “I was responsible for her death twice. I couldn’t save her from it the second time. I won’t send her to death a third time.”

“The beast won’t kill her, it loves her as much as you do, maybe more fiercely,” InuYasha said plainly. “And humans are made of stretchy stuff. Kagome was small down there when I mated her, and she’s not dead.”

“You’re also a _half_ demon. This one is not,” he smugly reminded him as he slipped back into his imperial speech.

InuYasha sighed. “Ya gotta do something. Ya can’t just leave her hanging like this forever. She’ll grow old before your eyes and be gone.”

“This one does not know what it is that needs to be done.” He gazed out into the garden once more. “Something _must_ be done, though.”

InuYasha thought on the problem, not really sure what to do either. If you stripped away the emotional worries, it was a breeding issue. Was he afraid of siring children with her?

“Is it because ya don’t want hanyou pups?” he asked.

He shook his head. “If this one was to have any offspring, they would be by Rin, even if they are hanyou. No other female- human or demon- will bear this Sesshomaru’s children.”

InuYasha shook his head. “Listen, ya wanna make her virtually immortal, ya wanna have kids with her, ya obviously love her… I don’t understand why ya can’t mate her and mark her. That’s the barrier ya gotta break down.” He rose. “I’ll do my best to help. I love Rin, too. She’s a sweet girl and I’ll never know what she sees in _you,_ but I am glad she chose ya.”

Sesshomaru seemed to be at a loss for words. “You can stay the night if you wish. The winds will mislead you if you try to go home now.”

InuYasha accepted his offer and bedded down in a corner in the sitting room, Tessaiga in the crook of his arm and hoping his family was alright. He dreamed about a bull the village headman had last spring that refused to rut with his cows. He watched as the man led a bull from a neighboring village into the mating pen and let him have free run. After that, it had only taken one actual coupling for his own bull to get his head straight and get to work. He led the other bull back out to his friend, and watched as his stubborn bull made calves. When he awoke he told Sesshomaru about the dream and suggested maybe something similar could work for him.

“Are you suggesting Rin lie with someone else?” Sesshomaru asked.

InuYasha shrugged. “It might work. Besides, you’d only need to do it once in order to mark her.”

“Hn,” he grunted as he turned away. “You’re more stupid than this Sesshomaru thought.” Then he stopped and seemed to be considering the thought. “This one assumes you mean to do the act yourself?”

InuYasha turned his nose up. “I can’t do that, ya idiot! My woman’s marked and my beast won’t let me! You’ll have to get a human to do it.”

“And what human do you know that this Sesshomaru might trust with such a delicate favor?”

InuYasha approached him. “Miroku.”

Sesshomaru seethed at the thought. “This one wouldn’t trust that lecher with a dead rabbit.”

“Think about it,” InuYasha offered. “Miroku is _good_ at being a lecher, and no one knows more about the female body- and how to make a girl moan- than he does. He would never hurt her, he would never take advantage of her, and if ya pay him good enough, I’m sure Sango won’t kill ya.”

Sesshomaru was silent, his eyes unreadable in the long moments that stretched between them. At last he spoke.

“Having another breach her maidenhead is another failing on this one’s part. Perhaps she should be given to the monk as a mistress while this Sesshomaru retreats to the mainland…”

InuYasha punched him hard in the jaw. “Shut up, will ya!? Rin doesn’t see you as a failure! She never has!” Sesshomaru did not react to his attack, so he continued, “Rin’s loved you for longer than I know, and all I see when I look at her now are dark eyes that worry about someone she cares about. Humans ain’t perfect creatures, and as long as ya don’t give up, she won’t think you’re a failure.”

Sesshomaru walked away, and InuYasha followed him, right to a small office lined with chests full of scrolls and official documents, all important paperwork concerning different territories and tributes from different yokai factions. He sat down and began writing a letter.

“What’re ya writin’?” InuYasha asked.

“A letter to the monk. I want you to take it to him when you return home.”

InuYasha crossed his arms smugly. “See? I ain’t so stupid after all!”

Sesshomaru closed his eyes in irritation. “InuYasha, you can only claim such a thing if it works. If it fails, you’ll find yourself falling victim to Bakusaiga.”

InuYasha swallowed at his words. “Well… I ain’t goin’ down without a fight. Besides, I’m sure it’ll work.”

Sesshomaru rose to a far corner of the room, lifting up a hidden door in the floor and tugging out a sack of coins. He dug around until he came up with three large gold pieces. Then he added a fourth one as an afterthought. He handed them to InuYasha. “Tell his taijia if this is not enough I will double it.”

InuYasha’s brows shot up. “Sesshomaru, this is _a lot_ of money. Are ya sure?”

“This Sesshomaru will pay any price in order to be able to love his Rin the way she deserves.” He gave him a soft glance, something almost kind and appreciative. “Go and deliver the message right away, before this one regrets his decision.”

InuYasha found Rin in the sitting room as he passed through the house. He paused at the doorway and smiled at her. “I think we might have come up with a solution.”

The relief on her face was almost tangible. “Oh, thank you InuYasha-sama!”

He nodded and took a deep breath. “Just promise me you’ll keep an open mind, alright?”

Her smile faded a little. “Why?”

“It’s not a conventional way to deal with it, but it might just work. You’ll get your mate mark soon, though.” He bid her goodbye and returned to the village with the letter and the money, wondering what decision would be made in the small house not far from his own.


	2. Angels and Demons

Miroku was a satisfied man at last. He’d won the heart of the loveliest woman he’d ever met, he had four beautiful children by her and was expecting a fifth, he managed to keep them all fed and clothed and happy… He didn’t want for anything anymore.

But when he read Sesshomaru’s letter, he was troubled. He’d never seen Rin as a conquest, only a wonderful girl who’d helped deliver his children and learned to read and write from him. Part of him was afraid that to bed Sesshomaru-sama’s wife and mate would be suicide. Part of him was afraid that taking someone new to bed after all this time would awaken the lechery that he thought was long gone. In the end, any combination of those things would hurt his family, and he wasn’t sure the sum the demon lord was willing to pay would be worth it.

“I don’t know what to make of this,” he said to InuYasha, a little bewildered at Sesshomaru’s request. “Are you certain he hasn’t lost his mind?”

InuYasha chuckled. “He’s a mess. But I’m pretty sure he’s still sane. It’s just a shame, all the shit that’s goin’ through his head. Seems like he can’t see the big picture for the guilt he’s been carryin’ around all this time.”

Miroku looked at the large coins in his hand. “I’m certain Sango’s going to balk at the idea. Even if it meant becoming wealthy.”

InuYasha dug around in his ear a moment, thinking. “Want me to tell her so she don’t think you’re makin’ it all up?”

Miroku furrowed his brows and frowned at the ground. “No, I should tell her. I’ll show her the letter and the coins.” He looked up smiling. “You could help me out with the kids though. Would you mind watching them while I talk it over with her?”

InuYasha rolled his eyes. “Alright. You better make the most of your free time, though. I can’t keep ‘em all night.”

They walked together back to his small house to find Sango disciplining Shinju, Izumi and Kichirou while the baby drooled happily on the floor, watching the scene. InuYasha scooped her up into his arms as naturally as Sango would have, and Miroku grinned at how well his friend had adapted to fatherhood.

“Oi, why don’t you let me put those older ones to work,” InuYasha called out to Sango. “I have a vegetable patch that needs weedin'.”

“You want to take these bad children? Willingly?” she stepped away from them and rested a hand on her belly. “Be sure to make them mind, they haven’t listened to me all day!” She came over to tickle Kosuna under her chin while the others pulled their hair back and put on work clothes. “You don’t have to take my little angel though. She can stay!” The girl giggled at her, revealing four teeth in an adorable smile.

“Actually Sango, I’ve got something important to discuss with you. InuYasha volunteered to take the children for a while so we could talk.” Miroku could already see the worry in her eyes. He squeezed her arm. “Don’t worry, it’s nothing bad.”

Somehow he got the feeling she didn’t believe him, but she packed a small bag of things Kosuna might need before sending their brood off with their Ojisan. Miroku and Sango watched them walk up the road a bit, chuckling as InuYasha had to cuff Izumi on the back of her head for pinching Kichirou.

Then his wife turned and scowled at him. “Let’s talk, houshi.”

She only used that word when she was angry at him. He closed his eyes and sighed. “Yes, my love.”

They sat down near the fire pit and Miroku handed her the letter and the money, waiting for her to read it as he went about making tea. He wondered what her reaction would be, wondered what it would mean to their family if he went through with this…

At last, she finished reading and sat holding the letter in her lap, looking down at the exorbitant amount of money in her hand. “Miroku… This is a lot of money.”

“I know. But I don’t want to do it if it’s going to be bad for our family.” He readied the tea cups and waited for the kettle to begin steaming. “I want to know what you think before I agree to anything. I swore to you I would never touch another woman once we married, and I have happily honored that promise. But as you say, this _is_ a lot of money, and we do have another child coming. Truthfully, we need a larger home and will need more food to feed everyone.”

Sango rubbed her belly as he took the kettle down and poured hot water into their cups. She replied, “I know you don’t see women the way you used to. The lechery was as much of a curse as the Kazaana was.” She looked again at the four large gold coins. “With one of these we could build a bigger house and afford to properly furnish it, and still have enough left over for a futon for each of us.”

Miroku nodded. “Sesshomaru is giving us a gift with this money. He’s only asking one small favor in return, and I’m sure it took everything in him to even ask for this favor.”

Sango agreed as she took a sip of her hot tea. “Most demons don’t have a problem marking their mates, but Sesshomaru has spent a lot of time around hanyou and humans, and it seems he’s picked up their habit of holding on to guilt. Make no mistake, this is a direct result of his contact with humans. His old self, from before Rin was by his side, would never have had any trouble marking his mate.” She nodded toward the door. “And what he’s proposing is done all the time by farmers to encourage the natural instincts of the animals to take over. His true demon self would see you as a threat to his pride and he’ll likely react the way those animals do- shove you out of the way so he can mark her as he should have already.”

He took a deep breath. “I’m scared he might hurt me or even kill me.”

Sango shook her head. “He’s not interested in you, he’ll be attuned to her and his beast at that point. But if he somehow were to injure you, Tenseiga will raise you.” She grinned at him. “He might wait until he’s finished rutting with her to do it, so you might have to wait a bit, but he’ll raise you back from the dead.”

He reached over and took her hand. “Are you really okay with this? I would be touching another woman the way I would touch you.”

She leaned against him. “It’s not out of desire. It’s out of necessity. And you won’t father any children by her or live with her. It’s as simple as helping someone in need. When the problem is solved, you’ll be back home with us.” She laughed, “And I’m ashamed to say it, but if you can bring home this much money for one night, I may start offering you to other women!”

“You wound me,” he said in hurt tone of voice. “My virtue can’t be bought or sold so easily.”

“What virtue, you pervert?” she cooed as she kissed him. “You’re still a lecher- only you practice your dirty little fantasies on me, now.” She wormed a hand into his robes and he adjusted his posture so she could reach what she sought. “Just promise me one thing.”

“Anything,” Miroku breathed as her fingers slipped into his fundoshi and wrapped around his length.

“Don’t tell me any of the details. I might get jealous and then you’d have to deal with _my_ beast…”

“So you’re approving this?”

“Yes… but I want you to show me what you’re going to do to her. I’ll correct you if it’s wrong.”

He kissed her hard, then breathlessly asked, “What should I do if she doesn’t excite me?”

“Think of this…” Sango shoved her head under his monk’s robes, then brought her lips and tongue down to where she’d been stroking him only seconds before.

 _This_ was a special treat. Sango wasn’t a fan of the act, though she was very talented at it. She cradled his sack in her hand as her mouth bobbed quickly over his lap. He breathed her name to the ceiling of their small home, encouraging her until at last he was on the edge.

“Careful!”

Sango never let up, and he held the back of her head firmly as he filled her mouth. He could hear her gulping the stuff down and panting for breath afterward. Eventually, she came out from under his clothes and he pulled her immediately into his lap and kissed her deep enough to taste his own flavor. He held her close to him and promised this would be just something to make some extra money for them.

“It’s alright. I trust you to do the right thing for us,” she whispered.

He got to his feet and unfolded their bedding, then began undressing as she stood and did the same. “I believe I owe you, my darling. And I have to show you what I plan to do to both prepare Rin-chan and entice Sesshomaru’s demon side to the surface.”

They would be in bed together until nearly sunset, and after a quick wipe down of their bodies, They went together to claim their children.

The next morning, he set off for the mountains. It took him nearly two whole days, but he reached his destination safely and without incident. Sesshomaru seemed disappointed to see him, but he had a feeling that it was more because of his own feelings of guilt rather than actually being upset with their arrangement. Jaken served them tea and a meal in the sitting room. Rin seemed nervous, Sesshomaru seemed angry, and the tension was thick in the house.

“My lord,” Miroku said gently, addressing Sesshomaru. “I want to personally guarantee that I hold no feelings of want or desire toward Rin-sama. I only want to serve you in my best capacity and perform well enough to coax you into marking your mate.”

Rin didn’t look up from her meal, untouched as it was. But she spoke calmly. “Miroku-san, we will do what must be done and no further.”

“I completely and wholeheartedly agree, my lady.”

Sesshomaru abruptly stood. “When you are ready monk, this Sesshomaru will witness the entire event. Rin will show you to our bed chamber.” He left the room and it seemed some of the tension left with him.

Miroku turned back to his meal, eager to finish and get his objective over with. He glanced at Rin. “Rin-sama… I swear to you that I will not hurt you, that this is only to help coax our lord’s demonic side to come forward and properly mate you.”

Rin offered him a sad smile. “Rin knows, Miroku-san.” She cleared her throat, then picked up her chopsticks and began to nibble a little at her rice. “Is Sango-san upset?”

Miroku shook his head. “She understands yokai far better than I do. She assured me this is something fairly common with demons who have a lot of human contact. It’s nothing that we cannot fix, we just have to be willing to do what must be done.”

She seemed relieved at his answer. “Thank you, Miroku-san. It means a lot to Rin that she can trust something so important to you.”

After they finished their meal in silence, they made their way to Rin and Sesshomaru’s bed. The room was quite large, larger than Miroku’s entire house. Sesshomaru sat in a shadowed corner, silent and watching, and Rin stood nervously next to the futon- something as big as Miroku’s sitting room back in the village.

“Rin does not know…”

He stepped closer to her and took her hand. “I remember when my Sango was in the same position as you are now, and I will tell you the same things I said to her on our wedding day.” He stepped closer again, softly touching her cheek. “I will not hurt you. I will respect you if ask me to stop. I will ask your permission before I insert myself. I will not frighten you. I will not be rough with you unless you request it. You are in complete control of me, as if I am one of your vassals.”

She continued to tremble, but her posture seemed to relax at last. “Rin trusts you.”

“I trust you, as well. And I trust Sesshomaru-sama to not kill me for what he has asked me to do.” He spoke carefully toward the shadows in the corner. “I will be honest- I enjoy this act we are about to do, and it’s likely I will enjoy it with _you_ , Rin-sama. But I do not do this out of lust or want to steal you away from your mate. I do this to help two people I admire become one. And if I’m enjoying it, that only means Sesshomaru-sama will enjoy it even more than me.”

Silence filled the air around them. Rin nodded her approval of his words, and he spoke toward Sesshomaru once again. “If I might have your permission to begin, my lord?”

A curt snarl of, “Proceed,” was all the notice he was given, and he carefully began to undress Rin down to her under robes before doing the same for himself. He led her by the hand to center of the large mattress, then asked her to make herself comfortable. He watched as she lay down on her back, eyes squeezed shut and arms stiffly at her sides.

“Relax,” he breathed as he softly kissed her cheek. “Tell me, have you ever imagined what would happen on this day?”

She opened her eyes as he trailed his fingertips up and down her forearm. “A-about… lying with Sesshomaru-sama?” Miroku nodded, and she answered, “Rin thought it would be… dangerous. When InuYasha marked Kagome, the whole village heard it, and their house nearly fell apart on top of them.”

Miroku chuckled and she giggled nervously in response. “Yes, it’s true. Apparently even hanyou aren’t particularly gentle when it comes to marking their mates.” He lay down beside her and continued to touch her tenderly. “Does it upset you that I’ll be your first?” Maybe he could coax Sesshomaru’s demon out with words instead…

Rin looked sad when she answered him. “Of course, it does. Rin chose Sesshomaru-sama for herself a very long time ago. She wants him so badly, and she wishes he would come to his senses and finally consummate our bond.”

He nodded. “Hopefully he’ll do that before I even get inside you.” He smiled at her and her eyes seemed to sparkle at last for him like they did when she was young and talking about her demon lord like he was some kind of god. His hand moved from her forearm to her face and he steeled himself inside. This wasn’t being unfaithful to his wife. He had her permission- and a dog demon’s permission- to make love to the girl in front of him. And she was not a girl anymore, but a woman- a woman with a need to be loved physically. He watched her close her eyes as he leaned in…

His lips touched hers at last and she responded warmly, pressing her mouth harder to his and following his lead. He persuaded her to open up for him, to touch her tongue to his, and the trembling in her body that he felt earlier intensified, though she never backed down from his advances. He backed off, whispering to her.

“Shh, it’s alright, just relax.”

“A-alright… Rin will try…”

He kissed her once more on the mouth before dropping light kisses along her jaw and down her neck. He deftly untied her yukata and carefully opened it. She wore no breast binding, probably having taken it off before dinner was served when he first arrived. His hand cupped her loose warmth and he gave an experimental squeeze-

“Ah!” Rin gasped.

“Is it too much?” he asked.

She shook her head. “No, it feels good.”

He gave little kisses along her neck as he fondled her roundness. She wasn’t as large as Sango overall, but her breasts were comparable to hers before pregnancy changed them. He almost imagined how full they would become when her milk came in- and almost wondered if her flavor would be the same as his wife’s. Of course he would never find out- it was ludicrous to even think this would be a situation that would repeat itself. She’d be mated soon and she would never allow it, and that’s if Sesshomaru didn’t get to him first-

What was he thinking? He had a wife of his own! Why was he pondering what it would be like to sleep with Rin a second time!?

He stopped, needing to breathe. _‘Get your head right,’_ he said to himself.

“Is everything alright?” Rin asked startled at the loss of his body against hers.

“Yes, Rin. Are you alright?”

She smiled beautifully at him and his guts fluttered. “Rin is wonderful.”

 _‘Yes you are, Rin,’_ he thought as he bent to tease her nipple with his lips and tongue. _‘You have no idea.’_

* * *

Sesshomaru watched the monk slowly bring her arousal to the surface. When her musky scent hit him, it was a jolt to the demon inside him. He’d been aware of her want for him- it was what led him to agree to mating her. But he’d never smelled her like this, could never bring himself to get her to such a state of desire.

And she smelled _divine_.

He paid close attention to her gasping breaths, to the sound of her heart thudding in her chest, to the way her skin flushed when the monk nibbled on her breasts. He watched as Miroku lay on his belly between her legs, the sound of his mouth licking at her woman’s place triggering a memory of something InuYasha had told him, something about licking…

His Rin cried out in a voice he’d never heard before- a clear groan of physical pleasure. Her hands were drawn to the monk’s hair and her hips moved frantically on their own. She sat up and begged him not to stop, and then her body flopped backward onto the mattress, her back arching and her breasts pointing perfectly upwards-

He could hear her heart racing as her climax washed over her and demon deep inside took note. Finally, it had awoken and taken notice that someone else was bringing Rin to pieces. Miroku asked if he could use his fingers on her, to prepare her virgin body for her lord’s imminent arrival. She startled both of them when she drew her legs back and spread them even wider, begging for him to open her tight body and make a path for her mate’s length to follow.

Sesshomaru could scent the monk’s arousal as well, something he didn’t like. However, the beast within him liked it even less and he could feel his yokai energy rising the longer he watched the two humans together.

The monk used his fingers to pump her, his mouth to lick at her, and his words to keep everyone focused.

“Did you like how that felt?” he asked breathlessly.

Rin keened under his touches. “Oh, yes! Rin feels so good!”

“Sesshomaru-sama feels even better than I do,” he husked before burying his face into her body.   The both of them moaned loudly and the demon surged forward.

He clawed the clothing off his body and growled. The monk paused, then added a third finger, continuing his efforts to open her properly.

“I think someone’s almost ready to mark you…” he commented before licking her entire femininity as if her were his to claim.

Then Rin did something that surprised him. “Sesshomaru-sama! Please, come and claim me! I’m ready!”

The monk glanced back at him, as if waiting for an answer of some kind.

The beast came completely in control then, rumbling a response from a mouth that had elongated into something a step away from his true dog form. “I have no reason to mark a girl who is only playing with her toy. If you truly desire my jaws in your flesh, let the monk spill his seed in your belly.”

Miroku raised his head. “My lord!”

The beast grinned fiercely back at him. “Do it… or I’ll gut you.”

Rin trembled. “I don’t want this human man’s seed! I want my lord’s-”

“My cum will kill his, do not worry, my princess.”

The two of them stared back at him, their scents full of fear and confusion. Then the monk swallowed and moved to his knees.

“Lady Rin, may I enter your body so that Sesshomaru-sama can mount you?”

“Y-yes,’ she whimpered.

He could hear the monk reassuring her, promising that he would try to be as delicate as he could, and that when he was finished her lord could finally make her his. The beast lazily stroked his large dick as he looked on, watching the monk slip inside Rin’s tight, virgin body.

Rin fisted her hands in the mattress, panting as he settled himself deeply in her body. He scented no blood, and he admired the monk’s patience with his young bride.

“Does it hurt?” Miroku asked.

“No, Rin is just so full inside!” she gasped. “You can move, Miroku-san!”

The demon watched as the monk began slowly, building speed as he went, Rin’s cries of pleasure nearly overshadowing her blissful scent signature. The beast had almost had enough. He rose to his furry dog feet and walked slowly toward the bed.

The human man who was humping Sesshomaru’s mate was huffing and puffing, trying hard to finish quickly. He hissed and cursed, palmed one of her breasts and pleaded with his god for a timely release. And then all at once, the monk was filling her up, Rin was crying out to her mate, and the demon swatted at the monk and rolled him across the room, kneeling in his place and flipping Rin to her hands and knees.

He was not as gentle as the human was, that much he was sure of. The beast plunged into her without any warning and she screamed in _pain_. The beast was startled and nearly retreated and let Sesshomaru regain control of himself, but he resolved to at least finish what he’d started. He heard every tear drop hit the bed as he banged recklessly into her body over and over again. Thankfully it didn’t take him long to orgasm, and he flooded her body with so much semen that he ended up soaking the place directly under her with it.

The beast immediately receded, and Sesshomaru came forward once again, holding her tenderly and apologizing into the soft skin of her back.

“This one couldn’t do it,” he whined. “This one couldn’t bear to make you hurt again.”

He gathered her up in his arms and sat down on their bed. He could scent her despair, anger, and disappointment. In a last ditch attempt, he put her shoulder in front of his nose and tried to force the beast to come up to bite into her. It refused, and all Sesshomaru could do was rest his forehead against her in defeat.

“This Sesshomaru… Rin, perhaps we are not meant to be together.”

She turned in his grip and slapped him as hard as she could. “Stop this! Whether you mark Rin or not, Rin will always choose you! Rin is not going anywhere!” She wiped her eyes on the back of her arm and then kissed him deeply- something they’d never done before.

“Rin’s kisses are for _Sesshomaru_. Rin’s body,” she said as she put his large hand on her breast, “is for _you_! Whether you claim her now or never, _Rin belongs to Sesshomaru!_ ”

He wound his arms around her and returned her kiss. “This Sesshomaru belongs to Rin as well,” he whined. “This one will keep trying, for Rin.  For both of us.”

The monk sat up, noticing she remained unmarked. “What do we do now, my lord?”

Sesshomaru kissed Rin’s lips softly. “We try again tomorrow.”


	3. Nearly, But Not Quite

When Rin awoke the next morning, she was sore and upset. The plan that was supposed to work had failed and she was wondering if Sesshomaru would ever be able to manage to mark her. He was beside her, attending to her as soon as her eyes opened.

“You are hurting,” he said quietly. “It is this Sesshomaru’s fault.”

Rin smiled at him. “My lord finally loved Rin. It was worth it to feel Sesshomaru-sama inside, where he belongs.”

Had he forgotten already? He’d bathed her insides with enough semen to impregnate a harem of women. She could be carrying his son already…

He nodded. “Yes, there is a single bright spot in the middle of all this, and it’s that we finally became one in our bed.”

She sat up and crawled closer to him, getting in his lap and nuzzling her cheek against his chest. “And we will become one again. Sesshomaru-sama’s maleness did not injure Rin too terribly, and she will grow to accommodate it over time. Sesshomaru-sama should make Rin’s womb remember the shape of his body, by lying with her as often as he can…”

She let her fingers dance down his stomach and she reached down gingerly, searching for his cock. She wanted to see how big it was in comparison to Miroku’s, why it had hurt so badly when he took her. When she found it, flaccid and limp in her lord’s lap, she could not close her fingers around it. Her dark eyes widened, realizing that it was even thicker when he was hard- no wonder she was sore.

“Not now,” he rumbled as he took her hand away from his body and kissed the palm. “Later. For now, you should have a hot bath to soak and relieve your aches. We will then eat and try again.”

She bowed her head, disappointed in his reaction. “Yes, my lord.”

His finger came under her chin and he tilted her head back. “It will happen. We must keep trying.” Then he captured her lips, kissing her the way Miroku had kissed her. Her entire body quivered with want for him, and when his tongue made contact with hers, she fisted her hand in his kimono.

She didn’t know how long they’d been kissing that way when he suddenly pulled away. She looked at him, dazed.

“This one can scent your desire,” he murmured. “It is a good smell.”

She blushed, realizing he was talking about the fluid her body was making, soaking her fundoshi she wore because of the threat of bleeding on the bed. “Rin wishes she could smell yours.”

He put his arms around her and held her to his chest. “When you are marked, Rin will be able to sense such things. Rin will be marked soon-” He spoke softly right into her ear, “ _I_ promise.”

She squeezed him tight and felt her faith in him renewed. “Yes, my lord!” she chirped happily, knowing that her mate never broke his word.

The hot bath had been wonderful and very soothing. She ate with a healthy appetite and watched Miroku meditate in the garden. He did some yoga, chanted some prayers on his mala beads, meditated a bit… When he entered the house again, he asked where he might find Sesshomaru and they went together to find him.

He was in the bedroom, waiting for them to arrive. Miroku said, “My lord, perhaps this time you should be alongside me as I awaken Rin’s body. Perhaps we waited too long for you to take over.”

Her lord and mate seemed to consider this. “Very well. You will demonstrate to this Sesshomaru how to stir Rin’s emotions the way you do, monk. Her scent particularly spikes when your mouth is at the juncture of her legs. This one is interested in seeing this technique up close.”

Miroku seemed excited that Sesshomaru was taking an interest in his methods. “Ahh, the lotus kiss. I believe once you have seen it, you could probably be better at it than I am. Sometimes it takes a lot of stamina to continue the kisses until climax, but I’m sure you could go faster and for longer than me once you master the skill.”

Rin almost grinned at the tiny smirk that bloomed on his pale lips. “A demon’s abilities will always surpass a human’s. This one will prove it to both of you this day.”

It was encouraging to see him making an effort to learn how to please her as well as relax regarding the idea of physically loving her. Up until yesterday, he was certain that inserting himself into her body would kill her. Now that he saw she was alive and well, but also looking forward to more of his awkward attentions, he seemed more willing to be with her, even if Miroku had to be present.

“I would suggest, Sesshomaru-sama, that we all disrobe and meet in the futon.”

Her lord rose and wordlessly began undressing. She and Miroku followed suit, and this time, three entered the bed, stark naked and ready to try again to force the demonic beast that lived in Sesshomaru’s heart forward so he could mark her shoulder.

She lay down between them, Sesshomaru on his side while Miroku lay on his belly. Miroku spoke quietly to her, “Lady Rin, may I have permission to touch your body again today?”

“Of course, Miroku-san,” she answered. “You are gentle and know how to make Rin feel very good.”

“I’m going to show Sesshomaru-sama how to do the same thing so that you and I don’t have to do this anymore.” He smiled at her as he brushed her bangs from her face. “You’re going to be a good lover, I know it. Sesshomaru-sama is very lucky to have you for a mate.”

She felt her face heating again. “Thank you, Miroku-san.”

He turned to Sesshomaru. “It’s best to begin slowly. Usually a kiss is a good way to start.” He moved so he was closer to Rin, then leaned down and kissed her, a short open mouth kiss that only frustrated her. Miroku’s kisses were soft and sweet, something she wanted more of. Luckily, when he broke away from her, Sesshomaru was right there, turning her face toward him, their tongues intertwining and his clawed hand curled gracefully into a loose fist and stroking her cheek with the backs of his knuckles.

She hummed against his mouth, enjoying his taste and his touches. Miroku quietly mentioned that her breasts were very sensitive, and that he should also leave kisses and licks at her nipples.

“Are breasts not for feeding only?” he asked.

“They are also an erogenous place for many humans. See for yourself, my lord,” Miroku encouraged.

Her lord sniffed at her breast, the inu part of his heritage showing through his want to satisfy her. Like an unsure pup, he tentatively licked her nipple.

She cried out in pleasure. His tongue seemed smoother than Miroku’s, warmer too. “Again, my lord!” she exclaimed. “Oh please, please do it again!” She knew the predatory look in his eyes when she saw it- she was calling out to the beast and he’d heard her voice. He bent and licked slowly, then watched Miroku as he took her other breast and demonstrated how to flick his tongue over her raised peak. She cursed as she closed her eyes and arched from the bed- two hot mouths on her breasts and absolutely stirring her body up from the inside out.

“Rin likes this,” the beast rumbled from Sesshomaru’s body.

“She does, my lord.” Miroku reached down and pulled one of her legs up, placing it lazily over his hip. “And the lotus kisses are just the same, only on a tiny little pearl in the center of the petals, right here,” he said as he spread her core open and tapped on a bundle of nerves there.

She moaned wantonly and her hips rolled toward his fingers of their own accord.

“This is the source of that scent…” the beast growled. “I’m trusting you to continue above while I go below,” it said as the partially transformed body beside her moved downward. He held her other leg open, then licked every pink surface he could find at her glistening center, pausing to suckle and nip at the little pebble near the top of her split, then moving downward to run his tongue up inside her.

Rin was overcome by a sudden orgasm and the beast between her legs only wanted more of her flavor. He made snapping sounds as his jaws elongated, and despite feeling wonderful from both mouths on her body, fear began to creep into her mind. What if the beast _ate_ her instead? What if it lost sight of the true goal and didn’t finish the task at hand? What if he ate Miroku? Could Sesshomaru have _any_ control over the demon if it turned out that was what it wanted?

Sesshomaru’s mouth paused in its licking. “I can smell your fear.”

“R-Rin is not afraid!”

The beast roared at the ceiling and Miroku rolled to his back- a sign of submission that his taijiya wife must’ve told him about. He pinned her down and roared again.

“I can smell your lie…”

She didn’t cry. She reached up to pet his face. “R-Rin is not used to seeing her lord act this way. It is frightening to see him so violent and angry, even if it is his true nature.” She softly stroked his muzzle. “Rin still loves you. Rin is just not used to this form is all.”

“Do you trust me?” it asked in its raspy dog-like voice.

“Of course, my lord.”

“Then present yourself to me…”

Shakily, she rolled to her hands and knees. “Please, my lord! I only have one request!”

“And that is?” he rumbled as he positioned himself outside her entrance.

“Please go in slowly at first!” She turned to look at him over her shoulder. “You cannot just shove it in! you are very big and I am very small! If you go slowly, it will not hurt as it did yesterday!”

Miroku offered the beast a small flask of oil. “If you’re slickened, it will hurt her even less, my lord!”

The beast took the gourd, opened it, sloshed its contents all over her ass, his length, their legs- everything- and then slipped in slower than yesterday, but still with the force of a horse running at full speed.

Rin whimpered briefly- she’d already been stretched that far before, and the oil helped a lot. Relieved that the beast was inside her, that it was possible he really might get to mark her this time…

Her insides fluttered around his enormous cock and she whined out in pleasure. “Yes, my lord! This is the way!”

He gripped her hips harder, pumped deeper and faster. She was sure he was going to burst out of her mouth at any moment, but instead she focused on how good it felt inside her, how wonderful her breasts felt with her nipples rubbing against the futon as he rutted her from behind…

She moved her hair off her shoulder, baring the spot where her mark would lie. “I am ready!” she squeaked as the waves of pleasure crashed between them. She watched Miroku move away from them to give Sesshomaru plenty of space to confidently finish the task of mating her.

“MARK ME!!!” she yelled as loud as she could, her orgasm forcing her insides to constrict around the thick cock ramming in and out of her body.

The beast reared back, giving a final shove, then a thundering roar. Rin was certain she would feel his jaws in her shoulder-

Instead, she felt hot jets of cum spraying her insides and a faint sting. Her spread legs and vagina were awash in thin semen…

“What… But why?”

Sesshomaru was agitated when he came back to himself. “This one couldn’t knot… the beast cannot properly mark you if the knot doesn’t stay.” He pulled out of her and pulled her from her kneeling position backward into his chest. “Inu seed is very thin, we must knot within our mates to keep it from washing away. Inu yokai and even common dogs cannot reproduce without the knotting aspect of mating. The beast wants not only to join us together, but give a hanyou unto Rin’s womb.” He grunted in amusement. “This one was so close. We could taste your blood, Rin. Had the knot stayed, we would be mated at last.”

She turned in his grip, then planted her mouth on his. “Try again! Right now!” She licked his throat to his jaw, then kissed him again. “We were so close! Hurry before Sesshomaru-sama’s beast goes away!”

He seemed to consider it. Hopefully he would agree…

“Monk. Have your way with my Rin’s body once more. Come inside her again and this one will make another attempt.”

Rin’s stomach fluttered. For as much as she wanted- _needed_ \- be marked and mated by Sesshomaru…

Miroku’s touch was incredible in comparison. She moved to a dry spot on the bed, lay down on her back and begged him, “Please, Miroku-san! Come and fill Rin’s body!”

******************************************

He loved his wife, without a doubt. He missed her, even though he’d only been gone one day. He wanted to make love to her, not his former student.

But Rin’s body was young and tight in all the right places. Her voice was loud and clear and stirring when she called out to him. His rigid dick pulsed at the words she cried out. She’d even reached down and spread her lips open, letting him see her needy, quivering core. He would make love to her again- though he shouldn’t.

He didn’t love her as he loved Sango, and never would. But he loved fucking her good and hard, and he could tell by the way she looked at him that this wasn’t just a mandatory act to bring forth her mate’s demon.

_Rin wanted him inside her._

Being a logical man, he knew why- he was gentler with her than Sesshomaru, he was smaller than him, human, familiar- the beast was rough and hard, unknown to her, enormously endowed. But it was a huge boost to his ego to be _desired_ over the one she called _mate_.

He decided to take her differently this time. Perhaps he’d been _too_ easy on her. He put her on her right side, bringing her left leg up and over his shoulder. He glided easily into her body- and then he roughly humped her for all she was worth.

“I’ve been too easy on you, Rin-sama,” he growled. He pressed his thumb hard on her clit before circling it quickly. She gasped out and squeezed his insides and he threw his head back. “Yes, that’s it. You’ll take me until I finish, and then I’ll flood your body with my seed…”

“Miroku-san!” she panted, her breasts bouncing in time with his frenzied thrusts.

Sesshomaru knelt near her face, then growled at her with teal eyes, “This one has tasted you. Rin should taste this Sesshomaru as well.” He held his thick length near her face. “

Miroku whimpered when she opened her mouth and took him into her throat, sucking him deeply and stroking what didn’t fit. “I’m impressed Rin-sama!” he panted as his rhythm faltered just a bit. “You could show my wife a thing or two!”

This seemed to encourage her, and she worked even harder to please him. Without warning, he found himself on the edge of orgasm. But this was wrong. And how was this going to coax the beast to surface again?

“Oh gods…” he groaned. “Rin-sama’s body is so _good_ and _tight_ … Sesshomaru-sama, your beast doesn’t know how to appreciate how she already knows how to work a man’s cock…”

The demon lord’s muzzle twitched. “You haven’t felt how she uses her mouth, monk.”

He chuckled darkly. “I bet she births a human child.” He smirked at the deadly demon. “I’ve come within her twice, and I’m doubting the strength of the seed a demon who can’t mark his mate produces.”

The stinging backhand that broke his nose was worth it. The demon surged to the front and was pounding into Rin so hard and fast that his hips were a blur. Rin was screaming- though he couldn’t tell if she was in agony or ecstasy. He took a deep breath, then cried out in pain as he straightened his nose and watched them finish, hoping that the beast would mark her at last.

Instead, he saw two clawed hands wrap around Rin’s throat.

“YOU DISGRACE THIS SESSHOMARU!!” he roared in her face. Rin’s hands were flailing and Miroku got to his feet, racing to his robes for a stack of ofuda hiding in one sleeve.

Quickly, he threw them across the room and pounced onto the demon. “Sesshomaru-sama! Snap out of it! You are going to kill Rin if you don’t!”

His eyes faded back to gold and his claws retracted some. He leaped backward off of her and he began to whine like an injured dog. He raced toward the door and Miroku hurried after him. He ran to the garden, then transformed into his dog form and flew off into the bright afternoon.

Rin’s crying forced him to leave the garden doorway, and he padded quickly back to her bedroom. She was lying curled up on her side and sobbing into her hands. Miroku pulled her into his arms.

“Are you alright, Rin-chan?” he said, forgetting she was much more than just a student as she once was. She seemed to ignore his lack of formality and clung tightly to him.

“Why can’t he do it?” she cried. “Is there something wrong with Rin?”

“No, my lady,” Miroku soothed. “Sesshomaru-sama is plagued by emotional demons as well as his stubborn beast. He must sort this out for himself before he is ready to mate and mark you.” He reached for her kimono and wrapped her up in it. “Please don’t worry yourself about it. We are close to figuring it out. It won’t be much longer.”

“Rin… Rin isn’t sure anymore…” She leaned her head back and looked into his eyes. “Maybe you should have let him kill Rin.”

His mouth met hers desperately, his hand cradling her face. “Don’t ever say that, Rin. This world would be less vibrant without you in it, that much I know.”

He promised he would stay with her until Sesshomaru returned, and if he hadn’t come back in seven days, they would leave together for the village.

“He should be calmed down when he returns. Maybe we should bathe while he’s gone.”

Miroku was actually expecting Sesshomaru to be gone much longer than simply a few hours. When he came back to the house, naked and looking much calmer than before, Miroku was relieved. He and Rin greeted him with low bows.

“Thank you for coming home, my lord,” Rin said through her tears.

He looked at Rin with a look that was gentle. “This Sesshomaru has no excuse for his shortcomings. He cannot apologize enough for hurting Rin.” He fell to his knees before her. He saw the light bruises ringing her neck and the small wound in her shoulder where he attempted to mark her earlier that morning. “Will you have a mate who cannot mark you?”

She closed her eyes and hugged him to her chest. “Of course, my lord. Rin loves Sesshomaru-sama with all her heart.”

He returned her embrace and they were silent. Miroku then had an idea.

“My lord, I would like to bring my wife here to evaluate the situation. She knows much about demons and their mating practices, perhaps she can be of some assistance?”

“The decision is Rin’s.”

He looked to Rin, who met his eyes and nodded. “Bring Sango-san, please. Rin trusts her knowledge.”

Miroku bowed low. “Thank you, Rin-sama. She is with child and it will take a little longer to get her here-”

“Have Jaken prepare Ah-Un and I will give them my orders,” Sesshomaru said, getting to his feet. He asked Rin to take Miroku to the stable as he went to quickly dress. When he met them a few minutes later, he gave the monk three more large coins.

“Take this as compensation for the broken nose, and for the effort your woman will make to come here.”

Miroku pocketed the coinage as Sesshomaru ordered his dragonette to swiftly take the monk to his wife and then bring them back as quickly as he could manage. He promised a fat boar upon his return and the beast complied with a roaring cry. Miroku climbed on the stead’s back and flew off into the evening sky.

He prayed while he rode. “Please, Buddha… Let Sango be able to help us safely.”


	4. A Roundabout Way

“‘Ka-san!!!” her oldest cried. “Izumi took Kichirou’s ball and won’t give it back!”

Sango narrowed her eyes and sighed exasperatedly. How was it possible for three children to get on her nerves so badly. She shifted Kosuna in her arms. “Izumi, if you want to eat dinner, you better give it back!” she shouted in reply from inside the house.

Shinju settled herself and peace and quiet reigned once more- until Kichirou came running in crying.

“What now?” Sango groaned to herself. Kosuna only giggled at her frustrated face. That made her smile at her youngest daughter.

“Oka-san, Izumi scratched the paint on my ball!” He held out his hands and showed her a scuffed up leather ball, the blazing red taken down to the soft layers under the decoration. She shook her head. “No, you did that three days ago, remember? It got caught under Nanao-chan’s claws.” Nanao-chan was a stray dog that the whole village fed and InuYasha had trained to help him guard the village. “Besides, you can still play with it, stop being so concerned about what it looks like and be thankful you can still use it.”

Outside, the girls began shouting and Sango got heavily to her feet, taking Kosuna with her. She threw the straw mat open and yelled, “What is all this-” and stopped mid sentence when she saw her husband landing in front of their home on Ah-Un’s back. “Miroku, what are you doing with Ah-Un?”

“I’ll tell you about it in a moment. Get ready to leave,” he said as he gave her and Kosuna each a kiss on the cheek.

“Leave?” she asked, confused.

**********************************************

“It’s a long story, but I will tell you everything once I get these kids down to InuYasha and Kagome,” he said as he took his baby girl from Sango’s arms.

The children were excited at being able to stay with their favorite aunt and uncle. Miroku walked them down to the small home and gave his hanyou friend two of the three gold coins Sesshomaru had given him.

“I’m terribly sorry about the short notice,” Miroku apologized. “And we’d be happy to look after Taru-chan in return when this whole situation with Sesshomaru is over.”

InuYasha looked puzzled. “He’s still havin’ trouble?” he asked as he reached for Kosuna.

Miroku frowned. “His beast seems very confused. He did manage to mount her finally, nearly marked her this morning… But the second attempt his beast tried to kill her. So I suggested we bring Sango up to see what to do.”

InuYasha nodded at him. “That how ya ended up with a broken nose?”

Miroku chuckled. “I thought for sure he would’ve marked her that time. He did taste her blood, but he couldn’t knot.”

InuYasha winced. “Damn, he really is havin’ trouble. Him and his beast ain’t in sync with one another. Sango can help him with that though. Me and her talked once, way back before Naraku finally bit it. Helped me figure out how to control my demon side without Tessaiga. She can help him figure it all out too, I bet.”

He put the older kids to work right away and Miroku went back down to his house to get his wife. He sat her up on the saddle and pat both dragon’s heads in appreciation. Then they were in the air and flying swiftly back to the house in the mountains.

“I’ve done all I know to do, Sango. InuYasha says Sesshomaru and his demon side are out of sync. I can’t fix that.” She told him not to worry and encouraged him to remain vigilant. He put his arms around her and laid his forehead on her shoulder.

“I’ve missed you,” he murmured. “I didn’t like having to bed Rin-chan. It felt wrong, even though I had yours and Sesshomaru’s permission.”

He felt her patting his forearms. “It’s alright. And… depending on how well he responds to my methods, we may have to resort to letting me take him inside me to prove a point to his demon.”

Miroku lifted his head at that. “What?”

“I will try different meditation techniques with him, then we will try different sense techniques, and if that doesn’t work… I may have to force him to bed me- a human woman filled with another man’s child- the man who has been bedding his _mate_ \- to force both of them into balance.”

Miroku felt his jaw clench. But he had to put things in perspective. He’d had Rin _three_ times now. If Sango needed three times with Sesshomaru in order to make the lesson stick in the dog demon’s mind, then he would have to accept that.

He swallowed. “I trust your decision. And I will abide by it.”

She turned her head and kissed his cheek. “My dear husband, I carry our fifth child in my belly. And I will carry our sixth eventually- I have no intention of doing more than what is necessary to assist Sesshomaru in the task we’ve been given. You’re still my husband- _my mate._ We may not be able to mark one another the demon way, but I’m not leaving you for Sesshomaru.”

He took her word for it, knowing she’d never lied to him before, and waited for their journey to be over.

*********************************

Sesshomaru watched Rin sitting by the fire in the main room of their home. Her scent was full of worry, not of anger or fear. “Rin,” he called softly. She looked up him, ready to fulfill any order he might give her. He wondered if he ordered her to…

“Disrobe.”

Without hesitation, she peeled her kimono off and did as he asked her to. He shrugged out of his jacket and under robe. “Come to this one’s lap.” She obeyed without question and sat on his bare leg. “Rin’s scent is changing,” he commented as he simply held her.

“What does Rin smell like?” she asked.

“Like wildflowers, naturally. But now she holds the strong scent of the monk’s seed… with a weaker undertone of this one’s seed.”

She looked into his eyes. “Would Sesshomaru-sama please clean Miroku-san’s scent away? She only wants to smell like her mate.”

He gazed into her eyes. “You would trust this Sesshomaru with such a task?”

Her fingers delicately traced the strips on his cheek. “Of course. Rin is curious if Sesshomaru-sama’s powerful saliva could do it.”

Sesshomaru’s cock trembled to life. “Rin wants this one’s mouth to cleanse her of the monk’s seed.”

“Yes, my lord.”

He carefully lay her down beside the fire pit, drew her legs up from the ground and wrapped them around his neck. He put his big arm around her middle and hefted her to his chest. He could smell the human’s cum inside her, and the only thought in his head was to remove it as best he could. His long tongue ran out and delved into her hole, drawing the stickiness out of her split.

He was aware of her cries, aware of her walls squeezing his tongue and lubricating around him. The monk’s seed was bitter, tasteless, likely Rin’s body already having absorbed much of what was in it… His biggest fear was that she would conceive before he had a chance to properly mark her- and her child would be human.

“Ahh! Please don’t stop!” Rin cried from below him. He shook his head furiously, strumming her clit with his nose and twisting his long tongue inside her tight body. Her cries became more desperate and then-

“Yess!! Ohh! Yes, yes!” She convulsed around his tongue, gushing some of her body’s natural lubricant into his mouth. Her womb contracted and opened a bit- and he sucked-

“KAMI!” she screamed, sitting up and wrapping her arms around his head, sobbing in pleasure. He’d gotten a mouthful of the monk’s seed from what was trapped inside her womb, and now she only carried the scent of his saliva. He removed his tongue from her cervix gently, then wriggled slowly out of her undulating channel.

As she came back to herself, he lay back on the smooth floor and grasped her hips. “Ride me, koi,” he husked, his fully awakened cock slipping into her body as if they’d been lovers for years. This is how is should’ve been the first time they were together- no monk, no witnesses- just he and his human mate.

She was unsure of herself in her new position, but he watched as she figured out what made her feel good and what made him feel good. He pumped into her with short strokes, giving her plenty of room to experiment with this new way. “Is this good?” he asked as he cupped a bouncing breast.

“Very!” she replied breathlessly. She ground down on his length and he grunted.

“This one likes it as well.”

Suddenly she leaned down and asked him to kiss her, and he met her mouth with a deep kiss that left them both panting. He flipped her effortlessly to her back and humped her hard and fast. Her human nails raked down his arms over and over, as she chanted his name- _just his name_ \- no honorific or title behind it. He kissed her neck, tasting her skin, getting his nose full of her desirous scent and feeling her pulse in the tip of his tongue. Right there… If he could force the beast forward…

All at once her entire body went taut as a bowstring and her body clamped down on his length. “Rin is coming!” she cried in a high voice.

“Come for me,” he breathed, not even aware his speech had lapsed. He thrust into her harder. “Come again…”

Her beautiful mouth said the foulest words as he ravaged her, and then he could feel himself getting ready to climax as well. “Rin… Rin, this one shall fill your cunt to burst…”

“I beg you! Give Rin a hanyou pup this day!” She squeezed his cock inside her and gasped. “Rin is coming for you! Come for Rin!! Come, come please!”

Sesshomaru groaned into the side of her neck, unable to summon the beast, but he had to stop thrusting into her because his knot was swelling and plugging her up.

“Sesshomaru-sama’s knot feels incredible!!” she squealed, trembling. He held her tight as he gave every drop unto her open and waiting womb.

When he rolled them to their sides, she orgasmed again, squeezing his knot in a way he didn’t know was possible. They lay in each other’s arms a long while, just listening to the other breathe. It was some time before their panting had slowed and deepened. He kissed her everywhere he could reach as their heartbeats slowed to normal, holding her as close as he could.

When he was able to speak, he whispered to her, “Rin doesn’t smell like Miroku any longer.”

She smiled brilliantly, her eyes closed and her hair a mess. “That is wonderful news, my lord.”

“Rin will be pupped very soon,” he murmured into her hair.

“Rin cannot wait,” she said, snuggling into his chest.

“This one’s seed has killed whatever remained of the monk’s… and because of this knot… Rin’s scent will change again in a few days. She will carry the distinct scent of motherhood.”

She kissed him tenderly. “Rin loves Sesshomaru-sama, with all her heart.”

By the time the knot had loosened from within her body, she had fallen asleep. He carried her lovingly to their bed, swabbing between her legs to clean up what spilled from her. He heard Ah-Un growling near the stables and he went to welcome the monk and taijiya.

“Sesshomaru-sama,” the taijiya said, bowing as low as she could manage with her own burdened belly. “I am at your service.”

“This one may not need it.” He ordered Jaken to put the boar he’d killed earlier out for Ah-Un and he led the humans into his home.

“May not need it?” the monk asked. “Did you mark her, my lord?”

“No, this one knotted within her. She will become pregnant soon.”

Sango lit up. “That’s wonderful, my lord! The beast will be compelled to mark her once he scents your offspring within her. Particularly if my husband beds her once she is confirmed with child.”

Both he and the monk looked at her. “And you would permit him to do this? With you present?”

“If it is something that will help you mark your mate, yes. If I thought for a moment he would do it for his own want… then no.”

Sesshomaru’s eyes flicked to Miroku. “Your husband has been very honorable in his attentions to Rin. He’s never taken more time with her than necessary, and always invites the beast within me to relieve him of his duty.” He could scent the demon slayer’s relief at his report and she approached him carefully.

“My Lord, I would like to engage in some meditation techniques with you, to get a better idea for myself of what exactly is causing you and your beast to be out of alignment with one another. Hopefully the meditation alone will solve your problem, but on the offhand chance it doesn’t… It may be imperative that you bed me in order to force your two halves back in sync.”

He met her eyes. “This Sesshomaru has no desire to lie with you.”

“Forgive me, but I have no desire to lie with you either. However, if your beast thinks our coupling is a dishonor to Rin, it’ll likely force him to mark her.” She patted her stomach. “For a demon to mount a woman who doesn’t want him, is carrying another man’s child, the same man is also taking Rin- I can’t see how your beast could allow Rin to remain unmarked after all that, particularly because it’s a human who is rutting her.”

Sesshomaru looked at the couple, Miroku listening carefully to his wife and Sango confident in her knowledge of demon reproduction. He turned from them both and strode with a purpose back into the house, gesturing for them to follow him. The humans had to practically race to keep up with him, but they followed him to where Rin lay naked and sleeping in their bed. He sniffed at the air.

“Her scent has changed… This one’s seed has taken root at last. This one-” He fell to his knees and gently touched her face, not disturbing her rest. “This one will be a father, and my Rin will be a mother.”

The humans congratulated him, but he was alarmed that the beast inside seemed not to take note of this latest development. He stood up and punched himself in the chest, cracking his sternum. Sango and Miroku looked horrified at his actions.

“Wake up, you cur! She carries our child and you ignore her! Mark her!” He hit himself again, and again- until Sango stilled his arm.

“Please, my Lord! This will not solve anything!” she begged. “We will figure this out! This is not the solution!”

He shook her off and clenched his jaw. The taijiya was right. “This Sesshomaru has wanted to mark her for such a long time, he does not understand why he cannot.” He sat down beside Rin and held her sleeping hand. “Rin has become this one’s whole world. And we have finally consummated our bond and she _carries_ _this one’s heir_.” He was silent a moment. He thought about how he’d never wanted to be human in his entire life. Considering his behavior as of late, it seemed he was emotionally more human than ever. But right now, he wished he was human. Free from this ridiculous marking nonsense, free from a stubborn beast that refused to listen to him. He nearly sighed out of frustration.

“Rin has promised to stay by this one’s side, whether she is marked or not. If we cannot find a solution, this one will hold no grudge against you. Rin and this Sesshomaru will simply live as we are.”

Sango bowed toward him. “My Lord, we’ll do everything we can before we give up. You have our word.”

“Yes, it is our desire to see you mated and bound as well,” the monk added.

“I’ll have Jaken prepare a meal for us. Then I would like to try the meditation with you, taijiya.”

“Of course, Sesshomaru-sama.” The monk led her out of the room and the demon lord looked upon the woman who now carried his pup.

The change in her scent was so slight that only someone who knew her as well as he did would be able to sense it. InuYasha might not be able to even catch it. He marveled at how peacefully and deeply she slept in his presence. He knew she never slept this soundly when she was at the village, Kaede having told him she worried the poor girl might never sleep well again. But as soon as she came to stay with him, she became a heavy sleeper, something he attributed to feeling safe and protected with him. That was when he first knew she truly loved him, and that was when his guilt began to deepen. He didn’t understand how she could feel safe and protected by someone who had seen her dead body twice, even if he first death was not his fault.

“ _You don’t deserve her_ ,” the beast rumbled from deep inside.

“Why?” he asked internally.

The demon deep down chuckled. “ _You’ve grown weak and unstable. I won’t sentence her to be with a demon who’s gone_ soft _. Me? Oh_ I _deserve this human bitch. She’s not afraid of me, even when I had her by the throat. She’s well matched to me, and to you at one point as well. But now- now she coddles you, babies you. The Sesshomaru I knew would_ never _have allowed that lecherous monk to even cast his eyes upon her bared throat, let alone rut with her. Everyone is so concerned about your_ problem _with Rin, when your problem is with_ ME. _”_

Hot tears stung Sesshomaru’s eyes but he refused to let them fall. He was _not_ weak. He would not let his beast tell him what he could and couldn’t do with the human girl who loved him. And if it truly felt that way, why didn’t the monster surge forward and just take control completely? Never let go of his body and stay transformed?

“Can we not resolve ourselves?”

Chuckling again, the beast replied, “ _It’s possible. We both desire Rin and want her to be bound to us. But you are going to have to return to your senses. Listen to the taijiya. She’s another one like Rin- unafraid of us but respectful of our power. And actually… I think it would be good for you to lay with her._

“ _And the monk, too._ ”

Sesshomaru’s eyes widened in his dim bed chamber. “What?”

The beast chuckled. “ _You are the powerful Inu no Taisho, unmatched in power and ability. Your forefathers had a great many demons and humans in their harems and bedchambers. You have one human girl, and you do not trust anyone else other than her and the monk and his mate. You could have a pack.”_

Sesshomaru was silent. His nature cried out for a pack of his own, something more than the flimsy fake one he had with Jaken and Rin (back when Rin was just a child). He craved the solidarity of being bound to others through blood… but the taijiya and the monk? If they were going to be in anyone’s pack they should be in InuYasha’s. And there was the matter of their children. The one Sango carried would be marked, and any she would carry after that. But the ones already living would be outside of their bond- unless he marked them all personally, but he couldn’t mark them without being in full orgasm and he refused to lay with a child.

His anger rose and he roared at the beast within him, “We cannot even agree to mark Rin, how would we be able to mark an entire pack? One that would need to include _infants_?!”

The beast seemed to settle into itself, reprimanded and put in its place. Sesshomaru took the demon’s silence as victory. He rose and growled to himself, “This body belongs to this Sesshomaru and his Lady Rin. This one desires- no _needs_ \- to claim her properly. If you stand in this one’s way again, this Sesshomaru will have no other choice than seppuku.

“If this one dies, you will die as well.”

 _“You wouldn’t do it,”_ the beast murmured. _“It would kill your precious Lady.”_

Sesshomaru reached into his own abdomen with his claws and tore at his guts, blood and gore streaming from his stomach. He didn’t cry out, merely gasped once. Then he managed to reply, “I will not allow her to put up with you. You’ve done enough. We can either work as one… or it is over.”

He collapsed unconscious into the courtyard, hoping he’d made his point.


	5. An End to the Madness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't edited this completely. I wanted to get it published and I've got to work tonight and then school stuff with the kiddo the next few days- too busy! So I will make changes to this probably, but the point of the chapter is there. I hope you enjoy it, sorry it took so long to update!

Sesshomaru seemed to drift in and out of awareness. He knew his bleeding form had been found, he knew he was being moved and his wound tended to, but he couldn’t have said who did these things. When at last it seemed he’d been left alone to rest and recuperate, sleep overtook him. And though his slumber was restful, it wasn’t without its strangeness.

The inu youkai ‘awoke’ in the shadow of his father’s grave, his bones enormous and looming over his head. The scent of the forest pines and grass were on the gentle breeze that stirred his hair.

“Son.”

He knew that voice anywhere, in heaven or hell and anywhere in between. Sesshomaru glanced toward the sound of that deep voice, smooth once more and not the gravelly injured sound before his death. “Father?”

The face owning the voice smiled back at him. “I’m a bit confused myself. I was enjoying my afterlife when I was suddenly drawn here!” He moved to half sit, half lean against a large boulder as Sesshomaru weakly sat up.

He rubbed at his stomach, feeling for the wound he’d given himself. “Why are we here?”

His father took a breath and seemed to think for a moment. “Probably because you’re having such trouble marking your human mate. And because you’re terrified of how your inner demon heart will react upon scenting your offspring.”

The embers of panic began to flare in his veins and Touga shushed him. “When Izayoi became pregnant with InuYasha, I had the same concerns. Was my beast going to overpower me and destroy both her and the child inside her? Would it force me to choose one female or the other for life? I didn’t know, and I was frightened that I would hurt either your mother or Izayoi, or you…” He chuckled lightly. “When it came to love, I didn’t exactly think too far ahead about things.”

Sesshomaru looked away from him. “This one has been thinking and planning to mark Rin for a long while now. She is in her nineteenth year, and this Sesshomaru has wanted to place the mark on her shoulder since she was but a child of eight.”

“I’m glad you found someone to protect.” His eyes met Sesshomaru’s. “I was worried you wouldn’t. And think of how much better your life is for having Rin in it.”

“This one has failed her, because he can’t manage to figure out the marking process. What is it that cannot be discovered?”

“Son,” Touga said as he crouched beside him. “You are two beings inside of one body. There is your rational ‘higher mind’- mostly human looking in appearance and speech, and then there is your beast, or your ‘instinctual mind’. Sometimes, when your instincts can’t make sense of what the higher mind is doing, these two personalities clash.”

“But they both want to mark her. The beast says this one is not worthy of such a girl.”

Touga nodded. “I couldn’t figure out how to mark either. I’m sure you’re aware no mark graces your mother’s shoulder. Izayoi’s shoulder remained bare as well. The only bond I truly felt was to you, and InuYasha as well- though it wasn’t as strong because of the circumstances.” He scratched at his chin a moment. “Perhaps it is a test of dominance. Even humans must learn to conquer their basest needs and control themselves from their instincts. In fact, those that don’t control some instinctual urges, particularly in regards to rape and murder, allowing oneself to act on those instincts is considered criminal. You must make the beast bend to your will. If it involves proving to the beast that you are worthy of Rin, then display your ‘higher mind’ alpha traits.”

Sesshomaru felt dazed. He couldn’t think of anything that he wanted to do more than mark his bride. It was hard for him to think of a way to bring that cruel being inside him to heel when he was obsessing over one thing. His father stood at the sound of a feminine voice calling from the trees.

“Izayoi joined me in the place we have both gone to rest. We were very happy despite not being bound to one another, but trust me when I say that I understand how badly you crave to share a mark with Rin.” He began to walk away. “You have followed in my footsteps more than I’d imagined. I have every confidence that you will figure this out. You’re a very intelligent pup- you’ll mark her soon enough!”

With that, he disappeared into the forest ringing the rocky meadow Sesshomaru had awoken in, and he was gone. He tried to think of the things the beast had said, why he wasn’t worthy of Rin’s affection and life. Words like guilt and regret floated in his mind, also the taunts of being weak, too human, a coward.

He was going to have to deal with his _emotions_ if he was going to get his beast to work with him. He laid back down in the long grass and fell asleep again, and when he awoke again, he was lying in his bed with the taijiya nearby.

“My Lord, you’re awake at last,” she said quietly, crawling toward him.

He couldn’t smell Rin. He began to panic almost immediately. “Why is Rin gone?”

Sango smiled at him. “She is pregnant, my Lord. We weren’t sure how your beast would react, and so to protect her, Miroku put a barrier around the room she is staying in. She’s still here.” She reached for a clean cloth and dipped it into a small pail of water. “You’ve been out for nearly two weeks.”

He grunted in annoyance. His pup should have known its father’s aura before now. But he was thankful that the monk had seen to her safety and that the taijiya had been kind enough to watch over him in his mate’s place. “This one wants to do the meditation as soon as possible.”

“You need to eat. Once I’m sure you’re well enough to do it, we will.”

He growled at her. “When InuYasha nearly killed this Sesshomaru with the Kaze no Kizu, when this one first met Rin, he was recovered completely after a week. After a meal and a bath, we will go to the gardens and begin.”

She bowed her head. “Yes, my Lord.”

For the first time in a long while, he felt relieved. He was making progress. He was still trying. He remembered his half-brother’s words about humans being imperfect creatures and how their only requirement was that you keep trying.

 _“I won’t fail her again,”_ he thought to himself.

 **“Yes you will,”** his beast responded.

Sesshomaru clenched his teeth and responded verbally. “This one does not repeat himself.” He was surprised when Sango didn’t react- but the beast did. For the first time, the animalistic demon inside him seemed to shrink back a little. He almost smiled.

* * *

 

Sango arranged herself as comfortably as she possibly could, and watched Sesshomaru seat himself elegantly across from her. He’d braided his hair after his bath and it hung over his shoulder in a thick silver rope. While the Lord of the West was out cold in his bed, she’d procured some incense meant to open the mind and loosen the tongue. She tossed a few chunks of it onto the small fire between them and gently fanned the smoke into his face.

“Close your eyes, my Lord. Breathe the smoke deep into your chest, and when you feel ready, tell me what’s keeping you from marking Rin as yours.”

He was quiet a long time, but she watched his face relax over the minutes that spanned between them, watching as his scowl faded away, as his brows relaxed, as his chest began to move gently and deeply with calmed breaths. His voice didn’t sound like his usual self when he spoke. He sounded almost tender.

“I am afraid.”

Sango blinked. “Why are you afraid, Sesshomaru-sama?”

“Rin is so very fragile. I have not protected her and she has died twice. She cannot be raised a third time.”

She had talked with Rin a lot when Sesshomaru slumbered the past two weeks. She’d told her that he’d gotten a piece of the Meidou Seiki from his mother, that it would make her nearly impervious to illness, injury and death. She would be safe and sound until Sesshomaru passed on, as apparently the stone’s power would diminish quickly after his death. But in order for her to stand the pain of having it inserted into her chest, she would need to be in the middle of being marked. And before he’d mounted her, he was afraid that merely mating with her would cause her third death.

“My Lord, you do not have any reason to feel guilty for the deaths that Rin has suffered. Her first death was before you’d even truly known her, and her second death was your mother’s fault.”

“I should have slain the hell hound before it hurt Rin and Kohaku. I should have protected her.”

Sango furrowed her brows and fanned more of the smoke toward him. “You did save her. You pulled her body out of hell. Don’t you understand that it was that act that made her fall in love with you?”

His still face twitched. “Explain.”

“She heard the words you spoke in your heart when you gave up Tenseiga,” she replied softly.

Sango watched his eyes widen as she related the story of how Rin’s spirit floated in hell and heard his innermost thoughts just before Tenseiga released all the souls from hell- ‘Nothing could ever be worth the cost of Rin’s life,’ Rin had heard echo in his heart. Rin had seen his tears- her beloved Lord who could not even smile without viciousness was crying for her. She told Sango and Miroku about how relieved she was to see him when she awoke, alive again, and how much her heart swelled when he graced her lowly cheek with his powerful hand…

“You say you have failed her. You have no idea how many times you have rescued her.” Sango watched him slowly close his eyes, as if he were finding peace at last. “You did not send her to her death, not ever. You came for her twice, held her as she took her first revived breaths, pledged yourself to her by never leaving her to fend for herself, looking after her more diligently than even a parent could. Your beast may think that these feelings you have for her make you weak, but it’s only because it doesn’t realize what these feelings really are. You _love_ her, Sesshomaru-sama. Your beast doesn’t understand love. But _you_ do. And mating and marking is more about love than some primal right to her body.”

His expression was changing from helpless to empowered, from lost to found. “Yes,” he whispered.

Sango sat straighter. “Your beast talks about strength and weakness. Your _love_ for Rin is your greatest strength! And she’s already so attuned to you and your mannerisms that she builds you up and makes you stronger than you ever were before!”

“Yes.” His voice was solid.

The door to the garden slid open and Jaken appeared, trembling. “Milord… If I may…. What happened back then, at your mother’s palace. Haha-ue-sama said it was to teach you about compassion, to teach you how to feel sorrow and fear.” He wrung his hands. “Sesshomaru-sama has learned these lessons over and over again. You have mastered this subject as well as any other you’ve studied.”

Sango nodded. “Sesshomaru-sama, your beast would not ever let Rin go hungry if she were already marked. It would not allow Rin to go without an escort to a dangerous place, it would defend her to the death if she were in peril. The beast inside you would do this because it would be driven by instinct to do so. In essence, the beast’s instincts are to _love_ Rin, just as you yourself already love her. It would praise her for things she does well, warn her when she does something unsafe or thoughtless, and sleep beside her every night- just like you would.” She paused to take a breath. “Your beast loves her in different ways, on different levels- but you both love her deeply, and both sides of yourself can more than adequately care for her. Together you could love her more completely than any human she’s ever met, and fulfill her every dream by being marked and linked to you for all eternity.”

Sesshomaru seemed to be digesting all of these words. The beast was quiet for the first time in weeks. Sesshomaru thought toward his other half, _“In order to love her completely, we must love her together. We cannot be divided when it comes to her. Our rift is hurting her and we cannot do this to Rin.”_

**“Rin is the best thing that’s ever happened to us… We’ve been through so much despair and hardship, despite our station in this human world. And Rin love us so much- well, loves _you_ anyway. I scared her and injured her our first coupling, forced her to accept the monk inside her when she wanted _us_ …”**

The taijiya spoke again, gentler than before.“You have more compassion than even I thought you’d ever be capable of. And you have suffered enough fear and sorrow for a lifetime. My Lord… Can your beast see now? How it truly is and must be for you both to accomplish the mark?”

He took a deep breath. He rose to his feet, then offered her a hand up. As she stood, he answered, “He has heard you very well, Sango. Together, we are her protector and lover, and it is our desire to hare our life with her- and our pup.”

Sango breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s wonderful news, my Lord.”

He thanked Jaken with a simple nod of his head, then ordered him to tell Miroku to drop the barrier.

Several minutes later, Sango watched his pale face light up as he scented the pup in Rin’s belly. “That smell…” He looked down at her. “This one knows the scent of hanyou anywhere, but… this is different. That is _ours_.”

Sango smiled at him. “Congratulations, my Lord.”

He turned his head away from her. “This Sesshomaru… He is not good at showing his gratitude.”

She shook her head. “It’s my pleasure and my duty to help when I can.”

“Thank you,” he said quietly. Then he turned and began hurrying toward the sitting room where Rin had been staying.

“Join us!” he called from the hall. “Bear witness to Rin’s marking!”

Sango moved to catch up to him.

* * *

 

When Jaken came with the order to drop the barrier, Rin was unafraid. She noted though that Miroku seemed nervous. He’d even asked her if she was sure it was safe.

“Of course. Let him scent it, it might help.”

They waited, watching Jaken who was guarding the door. When he didn’t become fearful, she relaxed completely. He appeared in the doorway, wearing a blue yukata and his hair hanging in a long braid over his shoulder.

For a moment, no one spoke or moved.

“Rin is relieved to see you’re alright, my Lord,” Rin said at last, her eyes stinging with tears.

He moved quickly to her side, sweeping her up into his arms and kissing her the way Miroku had shown them, then he bent his head and sniffed at her abdomen.

“A son. You are carrying a son within you.” He closed his eyes and breathed her essence in deeply. “A healthy pup,” he added as his large hand splayed below her obi.

Rin felt the tears she’d been holding back slipping down her cheeks. “A boy,” she smiled.

He looked down at her. “This one has made the beast within see, and at long last, you will be marked, anata.”

“Are you sure?” she asked, her fingers tracing his striped cheeks delicately.

“It will happen this time, I swear it.”

She knew he would never break an oath to her. She smiled and he carried her down the hallway to their private chambers, asking Miroku and Sango to accompany them.

He opened the door with his toes, then moved to lay her down on the thick futon. His kisses had returned to her mouth, and this time she had no intention of letting him go. His tongue was rough and insistent in her mouth, his hands desperately trying to get her out of the silks she wore without tearing her out of them. He broke her hold on him to look up at Miroku.

“This one needs the Meidou Seki shard, it is in that small black chest on the shelf near the window.”

Her heart began to beat faster. He’d never had the shard with him before. He was serious.

His face softened when he gazed down at her. He bent down, his hair falling down like a rope beside her head. He whispered into her ear, “This one loves you, more than you’ll ever know- _we_ love you. All of this Sesshomaru will belong to you, and you’ll belong completely to us. We will be closer than you could ever imagine soon. Are you absolutely sure this is what you want?”

His need for reassurance made her smile. “Of course, my Lord. You are the father of Rin’s son, the light of Rin’s life… There is no one else Rin would want to share her life with. Rin is ready.”

He kissed her tenderly. Miroku was returning with the shard when her lord sat up and pulled him into his arms, _kissing him!_

Miroku’s body went limp, likely submitting to keep alive, though his eyes were wide and fearful. Sango’s mouth hung open in surprise as Sesshomaru righted him again. “This one is grateful to you for being her first, for showing her what to expect and how to react. Her education in this matter is just as sound as any of the other lessons she has had with you, monk.”

In a flash he was at Sango’s side, kissing her as well. His long fingers hesitantly landed on her shoulder, giving a gentle squeeze as his lips touched hers, then he pulled back. “And you have taught this Sesshomaru a great deal about himself, as well as human nature. This one is appreciative of your patience with this one’s inner barriers and his obstinate demon. This would not be possible without your insight.” He then stood and began to remove his clothing, asking their two visitors to kindly come closer, to _join in their lovemaking-_

“My Lord,” Miroku began carefully, “this is not necessary. If you desire privacy we will gladly give it to you.”

“This one wishes for you to make love beside this Sesshomaru and his mate. This one desires to see how it is done when a human woman is pregnant.”

Miroku blanched at the idea, reminding the demon lord that such a thing was considered taboo among humans, even if it was to demonstrate how to make love to a pregnant human woman. But Sango lightly touched his arm.

“We owe it to him,” she said quietly. “He’s trying so hard, and he truly does need to know how…” Her hand trailed away from his wrist to his chest. We’ll lie a little away from them, give them plenty of room to complete the marking ritual, but close enough for him to observe.”

Miroku still seemed hesitant. “Are you sure?”

“Yes,” she said, untying the obi around her swollen belly. “Besides, it’s been weeks since you and I were together…” She brought his hand to her bottom and Rin watched his cheeks pink slightly. That seemed to be enough to convince him, as his forehead dropped to her shoulder and his fingers began to massage and grope his wife’s cheeks.

Sesshomaru distracted her wandering thoughts about her companions with a sensual lick to her neck, right where her mark would very soon be. “This one cannot recall a more divine scent than Rin’s skin…” He was kneeling over her, his huge hand cradling her breast. “The beast inside demands to take you, but this Sesshomaru wishes to have his way with Rin first.”

Rin was tingling all over, feeling too hot and like she couldn’t catch her breath already. Her head rolled to look briefly at her teacher and her friend. They’d lain down on their sides not far away, Miroku already suckling at Sango’s breast and stroking her holiest place with his rough fingers, Sango mewling quietly and completely ignoring their hosts. Sesshomaru didn’t wait for Rin’s approval to begin, merely began kissing her and brushing her face with the backs of his fingers. Rin closed her eyes and let out a breath she’d been holding.

“More, like that,” Sango murmured.

Rin wondered if maybe her Lord was looking for the same kind of direction. Her trembling hand reached up to touch the stripes of his face… He pulled back slightly and Rin took the opportunity to tell him-

“Kiss my neck, my Lord… please?”

The smallest of smiles graced his lips, almost as if he were relieved to hear her ask for his attention. He bent and immediately answered her request. In response, she opened her legs and urged him to lie on top of her with her hands tugging at his kimono and pushing his shoulders down. When his full weight was upon her, she whispered her delight into his ear.

“Yes, just like this…”

Sesshomaru groaned against the damp skin of her neck and rolled his hips. Though they weren’t aligned in any way that Rin could truly feel the significance of the action (being so much smaller than him, his hips were rolling helplessly into the futon, no doubt), Rin could tell he was becoming aroused by her more proactive participation. That was a big relief to her, and being relieved she was able to give into the pleasure his mouth was offering to her throat.

Miroku spoke loud enough for her to hear over the combined noises of pleasure growing in the room. “See, Rin has always been a fast learner, my Lord. It appears you are a quick study as well.”

Sesshomaru raised his head to gave at Rin a moment. “Rin is perfect, in every way.” He kissed her deeply before dragging his kisses downward to her collarbones and sternum. His fingers, once unsure and almost ashamed, found their way loving to Rin’s nipples and tenderly touched there until her skin tightened and rose from her breasts. Rin gasped and he purred against her.

“This one can scent your desire, little one.”

Rin looked into his molten brass eyes and nodded. “My Lord should kiss Rin there…”

As if it were an order from a god, he immediately closed his eyes and latched onto her tit, Rin’s voice offering up a true groan of bliss at the sensation of his soft tongue working against the very tip of her peak and driving her insane with lust. “Mmmnn, harder- ah yes, just like that!”

Quiet panting, grunts and moans, both masculine and feminine, filled the room. Then came a loud wail f passion from Sango and both Rin and Sesshomaru looked their direction. Miroku’s dark head was between her open legs, the wet sounds of his kissing heard in the moments Sango would hold her breath. They watched as she held his face there, in her body, instructing him. “Faster! Oh yes, right there! Yes, yesss!”

Sesshomaru wasted no time. He rolled to his back, taking Rin with him. She now straddled his chest and felt positively confused. He picked her up under her arms and repositioned her so her body was perched on his chin.

“Pull yourself apart,” he said quietly, his hands coasting over her bare legs.

Shaking fingers did as she was told, then her demon lover buried his face in her. Her head flopped backward, whining to the ceiling. Once they settled against one another, she began to move her hips instinctively over the long tongue thrashing and twisting inside her.

“My Lord f-f-feels soooo good!” she stammered, fingers threaded into the silver of his hair, riding the wet tongue inside her as if it were his cock. In response, he withdrew his tongue and instead sealed his lips around her nubbin, sucking and flicking.

Rin bucked unexpectedly and leaned backward, bracing herself on his hips, then felt as her long hair draped over and around his huge cock. She shook her head to tease him there and he moaned into her wet opening. This gave her an idea.

“Just a moment, my love…” She turned around, facing his length and offering him a better view of both of her entrances.

She kissed his tip, grasping what she could in her small hand. She felt him licking at her ass and felt her face grow even hotter than before. It felt incredible, so _naughty_ in its taboo nature, but amazing all the same. Rin was capable of some decorum though, protesting weakly, “My Lord! That’s dirty there!”

Instead of feeling her soon-to-be mate pulling away and apologizing, she felt a short painless swat to her hip. “Rin is perfect, in every place and every way. Rin is not ‘dirty’ or ‘unclean’.” His thumbs moved to pry her cheeks even further apart and he slurped loudly at her puckered hole, as if he were forcing her to hear how much he enjoyed this new flavor.

Too short to put his length in her panting mouth, she opted instead to begin stroking him with both hands, firmly and steadily. Her hips squirmed as he began to lick at _both_ entrances now, as if he couldn’t decide which was sweeter to him. Then she squeaked as he gripped her by the waist and began to raise and lower her onto his tongue. “My Lord!” she wailed as his thick tongue slid into her ass as surely as if it was always meant to be there. With his help, she rode the wet muscle in her rear as hungrily as any wanton whore.

“Wow, that’s incredible,” she heard Miroku comment. “Look at how she’s dripping…”

She heard Sango suggest, “You should help them out.”

Rin never heard his answer. But she was well aware when Miroku’s mouth touched her aching lotus flower.

She gasped loudly, then opened her eyes. What she saw made her clench her insides around her Lord’s tongue, which earned her a deep growl from beneath her. Then he held her off him for a moment.

“Monk, if you wish to continue, you’ll let me sheathe myself inside you.”

Rin was sure Miroku would stop, or that Sango would say or do something. Instead, Sango moved behind her husband- and held his bottom apart so she could drizzle cool oil on his opening. She also had reached down to stroke her Lord’s cock with the oil- and assisted them with joining together!

“Ahh!” he winced, but her friend seemed to quickly recover. “You’re not the first in there, my Lord, but certainly the biggest!” He adjusted his position, spreading his legs as wide as possible, and then her demon lover began to move his hip and fill the monk to burst over and over again.

When Miroku’s mouth rejoined her body, she could feel his gasps of pleasure against her moist and heated skin. The feeling of Sesshomaru’s tongue fucking her in the ass and Miroku’s tongue fucking her in her pussy- by the time Sango joined in to tease her breasts she wasted no time in sharing her orgasm with three people who meant the world to her.

Having sex this way was completely strange, but she had to admit that it felt incredible, as evidenced by the prolonged release she was having. Miroku seemed to know just what to do to make that feeling last as long as possible, and Sesshomaru seemed to react as if he were already in sync with her body. He thrust at just the right time, writhed and wriggled for just the right length of time, withdrew not a moment too soon…

Sweat beaded at her temples and at the small of her back. “More,” came her whispered command.

Sango said she wanted to ride her husband while he was embedded full of their Lord’s length. Sesshomaru agreed and tugged Rin back to his face, the point of his nose teasing her wet ass while his lips kissed and nibbled at the wet folds. Rin watched as Sango inserted her huband into her body, then lay back on her Lord’s chest.

“Sit on _my_ face,” she offered. “Kiss my husband while he fucks me and Sesshomaru-sama, and I will make you feel incredible.”

Sesshomaru gently squeezed her hip, assuring her it was fine. He helped position her over Sango’s mouth, then set about caressing and squeezing her breasts once she was safely in the embrace of the taijiya’s lips.

The difference between the men who had licked her and the woman who was currently tasting her was immediate. Rough and desperate had been made smooth and tender, but still desirous in execution. She felt Sango’s thumb land precisely on her bundle of nerves and her hips began to rock on their own, completely out of her control it seemed.

Miroku leaned forward, pressing his mouth to hers, and she melted against him. His hand threaded itself into her hair and he held her firmly as his wife feasted on her. He broke their kiss to tell her, “I can’t believe you took this inside you! Sesshomaru-sama is so big!”

Rin looked down, watching her teacher’s cock slide in and out of Sango’s body, looking slick and flushed and oh so hard. She wondered what his ass looked like being fucked at the same time. And then she lost the ability to think as Sango managed to get the right combination of strokes and licking to unlock another orgasm for her.

Sango’s fingers plunged into her quivering body, pumping into her hard and fast, right into a particular spot that was making her feel very much like screaming in pleasure. “Come again, Rin-chan!” Sango pleaded, forgetting that Rin- _chan_ was now Rin- _sama_. “Come again, entice the beast with your scent!”

Oh, yes. In the midst of all the commotion, she’d forgotten that this was the day she was finally going to be marked. As Sango coaxed another orgasm from her, she wailed over her shoulder to her Lord and lover-

 ** _“MARK ME!_** ”

Sesshomaru’s back ached off the futon, which led to an angle change for him and Miroku, who was now staring up at the ceiling wide eyed and mouth open. His angle with Sango had also changed and she was sobbing beneath Rin as an orgasm overtook her.

“Oh gods, Miroku! So much cum inside me!!”

Miroku was helplessly grinding down on the cock buried in his ass desperately. “Feels so good, my Lord! Let me take it all so you can start fresh for Rin-sama!”

Had they all come at the same time? She didn’t have much time to think about it. Big hands were gently pushing Sango and Miroku away, and the smooth skin of her Lord’s chest was becoming hotter and- furrier.

A quick glance at the other couple revealed that Miroku had flooded Sango with white stickiness, and Miroku’s ass was leaking thin, milky colored cum that Rin was familiar with. And then she found herself lying on her back with her Lord looming over her, in mid transformation.

His face was longer, his shoulders more canine in appearance. His eyes had gone red and teal but they were kinder than the last time she’d seen them. He bent and licked her from collarbone to jaw. His clawed and dangerous half-paws tenderly touched her cheek.

In a deep, rumbling voice, the beast said, “I’m sorry.”

Rin smiled at him, her hands traveling up his furry arms lovingly. “I forgive you.”

The beast seemed to find relief in her words and he kissed her with an inhuman mouth. “My mate, it’s long past time that I mark you and claim you for both me and the brat. Are you ready?”

Tears brimmed in her eyes. “I’ve been waiting my entire life for this. Give me your jaws and make us one.”

The thing in her arms seemed to become even more doglike than before, but she didn’t care. This was her Lord as well. The pale face and gold eyes that she dreamed about as a child was still here, deep inside the being she was embracing with both arms and legs. Before his hands could turn completely to paws, he placed the shard of the Meidou Seki into his mouth, then nosed her to roll to her hands and knees.

Rin began to tremble with anticipation. Finally, at long last, this was the moment. Sesshomaru- now fully in his smaller dog form- padded around her, licking every inch of her body twice before moving on. He suckled each breast briefly. He licked fervently at each opening of her small body, giving her yet another chance to find pleasure at his urging. Sango and Miroku sat nearby, holding each other and watching quietly as he moved to mount her at last.

His huge paws pushed her shoulders down into the futon. She reached up and laid her hands on his dog toes and he licked her neck. He nuzzled her head, then got into position. She could feel his doggy feet dancing back and forth as he lowered himself enough to line up to her entrance. There was a warm, wet bump against her folds, completely foreign feeling when compared to the spongy tips of both Miroku and Sesshomaru’s human form. It felt very different- but Rin took a deep breath and relaxed into the strange sensation. It was her Lord, and she knew she was safe.

His dog dick slid slowly inside her. The beast moved carefully forward, giving little woofs every now and again, as if to make sure she was alright.

“I want this, you are not hurting me, my Lord,” she answered breathlessly at last. “My Lord’s beast form feels just as incredible as his human form!”

The cock inside her pulsed at that, and a dog whine erupted from the demon behind her. Once Sesshomaru was in position inside, he moved to place his jaws at her shoulder. His teeth pricked her slightly, and she could feel the jagged shape of the jewel on his tongue… It was time.

His hips moved carefully at first. Rin’s sensitive body clenched around him and he growled near her ear. Rin gasped out, not believing that such a strange cock could make her feel this good. One of her hands came up to stroke the canine face holding her shoulder in a death grip.

“Yes, my Lord! Yes, yes! More! Harder! Ohhh, please give Rin more!”

His furry flanks tickled her thighs, causing her hips to roll against him involuntarily- but increasing the pleasure the demon was giving her. He moved faster, thudding into her with all his might now, jarring her into the mattress. She could feel him swelling. That meant he was close. Or at least it did that one time he knotted inside her.

“Rin is going to burst!” she cried, on the edge of yet another orgasm. “Please! Mark Rin and fill me up!”

His jaws bit down a little more, his tongue wriggling against the stone in his mouth. His hips moved impossibly faster- and Rin shattered. Her insides began to spasm, squeezing and clamping down over and over again, quickly as if her pussy had a heartbeat of its own. The cock inside her grew quickly, and then the knot seemed to fill her instantly, pressing hard against that sacred spot inside her and prolonging an already incredible release. Warm cum painted her insides, filling her, filling her, filling her… She felt liquid trailing down her arm and looked over.

Blood was staining her skin, spilling warm across her shoulder and collarbones. She felt her mate finally release her, painlessly, and he began to lap up her blood with the reverence of someone gathering a holy relic.

_“We are one, for eternity.”_

She smiled as tears fell onto the futon. The bond Kagome had described to her, the silent connection that only she and her mate could hear, was in place. “Rin is so happy!” she squeaked.

_“As are we, Rin.”_

The knot holding all of his semen inside her body began to loosen, and Rin raised her head to look toward Miroku and Sango. “Thank you both, for everything.”

They moved to their knees and bowed. Together, they said, “Banzai, congratulations.”

The dog demon buried in her body reluctantly pulled out, and a wash of fluids spewed from her, triggering a smaller release as it rushed out of her body. By the time she rolled to her back to a dry spot in the bed, Sesshomaru was already back in his human form. He studied the place on her shoulder where the beast had bitten down and finally claimed her.

He touched the wounds gently. “It is a good mark. Perfect position and size. And Rin felt nothing?”

She shook her head. “Rin only felt her Lord filling her.” She closed her eyes. “That’s Rin’s favorite feeling in the whole world, getting filled up by Sesshomaru-sama while he holds her.”

He gave her a small, teasing smirk. “Rin is shameless.”

“Rin is not shameful for loving the sensations her beloved mate gives her. She is not shameful of the love she feels for him.” She smiled up at him. “Rin loves Sesshomaru-sama. She always has and always will.”

He bent down and scooped her up, giving her a warm embrace, closing her eyes as exhaustion began to set in.

“This one loves his Rin, and will never forsake her- to death or anything else- for as long as he lives.” He kissed the top of her head, then turned toward their guests. “You have this one’s deepest and sincerest appreciation. Without your advice, who knows how long all of this would have gone on.”

Miroku and Sango both accepted the praise with gratefulness. Sesshomaru invited them back for more bedroom games anytime they wished, and then he pulled a blanket around them as he called for Jaken. He ordered the toad to send their guests back to the village on Ah-Un’s back, and to do something about the soiled futon. After bidding goodbye to their friends, he took Rin to the opposite side of the small shiro, laying them both down in a clean and dry futon in a guest room.

“You are tired,” he whispered.

“Yes,” Rin replied. “But it’s a good tired.”

He laid her down and covered her with the blanket he wrapped around them earlier, joining her under the thing. He held her close to his chest, taking care to lick at her shoulder from time to time. “This one has never been as relieved as he is now. This Sesshomaru believes that contentedness may suit him after all.” His hand moved to cover her stomach. “This one can sense our son… The pup is joyful at our union.”

“Rin is so glad,” she said with a sleepy smile. “Rin has not known many good days in her short life, but this is by far the best one yet.”

Her Lord arms held her even closer. They drifted off to sleep, a new era dawning around them.

* * *

 

“Ow! C’mon Taru, that hurts tou-san’s ears!” InuYasha cried as he shuffled his son from his back to his chest in an effort to get the boy to leave his dog ears alone.

“Tou-san!” he squealed, then threw his tiny arms around his father’s neck. InuYasha wasn’t able to stay mad at him for long- too damn adorable.

Kagome was hanging up the wash as Sango sat nearby nursing her newest child, Keiji. “We’ll be glad to pass back any of the clothes you’ve given us for Taru, for when Keiji is bigger,” his wife said cheerfully. “They were yours to start with, and I’m not sure when we’ll have another baby.”

Sango nodded. “That’s fine. Right now he’s still using Kosuna’s clothes.”

“Maybe we could have another baby next year,” InuYasha suggested. “Taru’ll be big enough to help out some, and I’ll be around more too.” Miroku’s gift of an extra three large gold coins all those months ago assured them that they didn’t have to wander around doing exterminations for money anymore. “It’s up to you.”

A large shadow passed over the five of them and they looked up to find Sesshomaru flying across the sky. InuYasha grinned. “Well, look who decided to drop in!” He offered Sango a hand to help her up and they walked to the clearing to meet their friends.

Rin’s belly was swollen and curved at four months along, though appearing to be closer to seven. InuYasha nodded toward Rin’s neck. “Now _that’s_ a mark! That’s what I wanted _mine_ to look like, but y’know, bein’ a hanyou an’ all- can’t exactly transform into anything much bigger.”

Sesshomaru pulled her hair off her shoulder and moved her kimono a bit. “Our bond is more incredible than ever before. And this one has all of you to thank for it.”

Taru seemed in awe of his uncle. He looked to him and to InuYasha and back again. “That’s oji-sama,” he said pointing. “Can you say hi?”

“Ji-saaa-aaah?” Taru attempted

Sesshomaru moved toward the boy and he drew close to his father’s chest. He bent down and looked him in the eyes. “Taru-chan, you may call this one ji-san, if it is easier to call me such.” He stuck out his little finger and the boy carefully wrapped his fingers around it.

“Ji-san?”

Seshomaru nodded. Taru’s grip tightened and he began squirming toward his uncle, who took him without even a flinch. He took him over to Rin. “This is ba-san. She has your cousin in her belly and he’ll be born in the winter. You’ll be able to play with him come springtime.”

“Play!” Taru shrieked, bouncing on Sesshomaru’s arm.

InuYasha and Kagome were beaming at the scene. “You’ve come a long way, Sesshomaru,” InuYasha observed. “You’ll probably be a pretty good father.”

“Rin’s temperament has come through our bond some, this one has noticed.” He handed the half hanyou child to his aunt, who snuggled him and began to sing to him.

“Best thing that coulda ever happened to either of ya. Congratulations.”

Sesshomaru thanked him for offering to help him with the problem he had been having with Rin’s mark. “If it had not been for your intrusion on the subject, we would not be here like this today.”

InuYasha shrugged the compliment off. “Eh, somebody’s gotta put a foot in yer ass occasionally. Rin can’t do it, so I thought, ‘Why not?’”

They ate an incredible meal together, Sesshomaru hunting for their three families and the women cooking it all up. There was conversation that wasn’t stunted or forced, genuine smiles from Sesshomaru and even a quiet chuckle at one point. He was a changed person, and all because he was finally able to mark the only person he ever truly loved. InuYasha wondered if the same kind of change had been present in him at the beginning, too.

He noticed the strange way Sango and Miroku kept looking at Sesshomaru, there was a quick private exchange between them and then InuYasha caught a whiff of _everyone’s_ excitement… What had happened in that castle the two weeks Sango was gone?

Sango’s face was red when she approached Kagome about watching the children for a bit. “No longer than an hour, just a bit. There’s some questions Sesshomaru has about mounting Rin’s pregnant form.”

About fifteen minutes later, when they heard Miroku’s voice crying out, “Harder!”, InuYasha looked at his wife in shock, and then doubled over in laughter.

“I can’t wait to tease him about this!” he wailed.

And no sooner had they emerged from their home, did he start in on him.

**THE END**


End file.
